Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 7, 2025
Transcriptome Profiling of In-Vivo Produced Bovine Pre-implantation Embryos Using Two-color Microarray Platform
Published on: January 30, 2017
Liver transcriptomics-metabolomics integration reveals biological pathways associated with fetal programming in beef
Guilherme Henrique Gebim Polizel1, Simara Larissa Fanalli2, Wellison J S Diniz3
1Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Animal Science and Food Engineering, University of São Paulo, Av. Duque de Caxias Norte, 225, Pirassununga, 13635-900, SP, Brazil. guilherme.polizel@usp.br.
Prenatal nutrition significantly impacts the liver of Nelore bulls, influencing key metabolic and epigenetic pathways. This research reveals specific molecular targets for improving cattle health and productivity through maternal diet.
Area of Science:
- Animal Science
- Nutrigenomics
- Metabolomics
Background:
- Prenatal nutrition is crucial for offspring development and long-term health.
- Understanding the molecular basis of prenatal nutrition effects in livestock is essential for optimizing production.
- Nelore cattle are a vital beef breed, making studies on their development highly relevant.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the long-term effects of different prenatal nutritional strategies on the liver transcriptome and metabolome of pre-slaughter Nelore bulls.
- To identify key molecular pathways and hub components influenced by maternal nutrition.
- To correlate prenatal nutrition with energy, protein, oxidative metabolism, epigenetics, and immune function.
Main Methods:
- Three prenatal nutritional treatments (NP, PP, FP) were administered to 126 cows.
- Liver tissue samples from Nelore bulls were analyzed using RNA-Seq and targeted metabolomics.
- Weighted gene and metabolite co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), MetaboAnalyst, and Enrichr were employed for data integration and pathway analysis.
Main Results:
- Significant gene and metabolite modules associated with energy, protein, oxidative metabolism, epigenetics, and immune function were identified.
- NP group highlighted pathways like aminoacyl tRNA biosynthesis and gluconeogenesis, with glutamic acid and SLC6A14 as hubs.
- PP group revealed pathways in arginine and proline metabolism, with arginine and ODC1 as key components.
Conclusions:
- Prenatal nutrition profoundly influences the liver's molecular landscape in Nelore bulls.
- Specific metabolic pathways and hub molecules related to energy, protein metabolism, and immune function are modulated by maternal diet.
- Findings provide insights into epigenetic regulation and offer targets for nutritional interventions to enhance cattle productivity and health.
